Group projects are intended to enhance the ACLF curriculum by providing an opportunity for experiential learning through a collaborative, team-oriented approach focused on an outcome that benefits Asian Pacific Islanders and the greater community.
2018: TBD
2017: Community Needs Assessment of Leadership Gaps in The AAPI community.
2014/2015: SE Asian Education Coalition
ACLF and the Southeast Asian American Access in Education Coalition partnered to develop a campaign to advocate for Asian American and Pacific Islander data disaggregation at the K-12 and postsecondary level. Here are links to their project presentation and civic engagement tool kit.
Asian Pacific Islanders are a diverse and dynamic group. This is especially true in academic achievement at the K-12 and postsecondary level. While some APIs have experienced academic success, other groups have experienced challenges. Current methods of reporting and collecting educational achievement data have hidden significant disparities between groups.
ACLF’s Community Leaders Program class partnered with the Southeast Asian American Access in Education Coalition to:
- Develop a campaign to advocate for Washington state legislative action regarding Asian American and Pacific Islander data disaggregation at the K-12 and post-secondary level.
- Help expand the coalition by opening the invitation to potential partner organizations to attend SEA³eD’s community forum event and the community project presentation.
- Draft a summary of the process and recommendations for increasing the visibility of the All Students Count Act through input from coalition members and community leaders, including exploring ways to increase participation within immigrant and refugee communities.
Below are past Community Leaders Program projects:
2013: 21 Progress
ACLF’s Community Leaders Program Class of 2013 partnered with 21 Progress to outreach to undocumented Asian Pacific Islander youth to connect them with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) resources.
While nationally 64 percent of the eligible applicants from Mexico have applied for DACA, the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community has lagged far behind. Only 16 percent of the eligible applicants from the Philippines and 33 percent of the applicants from Korea have applied.
The project:
- Identified barriers and resources within the Asian Pacific Islander community.
- Developed a strategic outreach plan to connect with DACA eligible API individuals and community organizations.
- Developed a plan to build and maintain lasting partnerships.
2012: Washington Asian Pacific Islander (WAPI) Community Services
WAPI Community Services currently rents out approximately 600 square feet of space in the New Central Building in the ID/Chinatown neighborhood that served as a lounge for youth who often visited the ID. When WAPI moved their offices to South Seattle, some youth did not feel safe to visit our new location due travel distance and affiliations with rival gangs in the new area of Columbia City. The space is now used only in limited capacity. The 2012 CLP class helped to re-open this lounge by talking to youth to find out what new and exciting programs would attract them and listening to community leaders for ideas on how to keep the space sustainable. Not only did the class members produced a comprehensive report with a 5 year plan, they spent several days cleaning, painting, and refurnishing the space.
2011: Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation & Development Association
In 1975 the community formed the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, SCIDpda, with the mission to preserve, promote and develop the Seattle Chinatown International District as a vibrant community and unique ethnic neighborhood. SCIDpda balances renewal with preservation and promotes the neighborhood’s multi-ethnic culture while comprehensively strengthening the overlapping elements that form the backbone of a healthy and sustainable community. As part of SCIDpda’s overall Neighborhood Revitalization Program, SCIDpda must present to the community an Arts Revitalization Strategy. The ultimate goal of this is to further explore the idea that arts and culture can serve as an economic drivers for community reinvestment. The 2011 CLP will assist in the development of the strategy by researching the history of the arts and culture in the neighborhood, identifying stakeholders, analyze the current environment or trends for arts/ culture funding, and conducting surveys and focus groups.
2010: WA State Racial Justice Report Card
The WA State Racial Justice Report Card is an objective tool that any community group or individual can use to be informed on racial justice issues at the State level, the communities of color make-up in our state and how the State Legislature votes in each of these issues’ racial justice bills. This is achieved by working in coalition with local and/or state organizations whose mission and stakeholders are impacted by bills that fit into our racial justice criteria. CLP 2010 worked with WA CAN! and People of Color for Progress to conduct focus groups and collect input from the coalition members and community leaders to improve the process; write-up a summary of the process and recommendations for sustainability of this project piece through input from coalition members and community leaders; and help expand the coalition by opening the invitation to potential partner organizations to attend the community project presentation and learn usages of the tool.
2009: U.S. Census 2010 Asian Pacific Islander American (APIAs) Count Campaign
The CLP class of 2009 worked with the U.S. Census Bureau, an office under the U.S. Department of Commerce, to develop and implement a community outreach strategy to engage local API communities in the 2010 Census. The project will begin with focus groups to help identify barriers and challenges facing API communities from filling out Census survey forms. The CLP class will evaluate their findings to develop recommendations for outreach strategies to raise awareness and improve API participation in the 2010 Census. They will work with the local Census Bureau office to develop an API culturally relevant 2010 Census awareness campaign plan that can serve as an outreach tool for community and government organizations serving API communities. The project will culminate in a 2010 Census APIA Awareness campaign kickoff presentation where they will present their findings and recommendations.
2008: Tasveer “Beyond These Walls” Documentary
The 2008 CLP project involved the design and creation of a multi-media piece examining the topic of mixed orientation relationships within the South Asian community. Mixed orientatation relationships refer to relationships whose members’ sexual orientations differ. The project was in partnership with Tasveer, a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting South Asian cinema and addressing issues critical to the South Asian community. The class presented their documentary titled “Beyond These Walls” during the 5th annual Independent South Asian Film Festival (ISAFF).
2007: International District Community Resource Guide
Inter*Im Community Development Association (ICDA, or Inter*Im) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, comprehensive community development organization in the business of promoting, advocating, and revitalizing the International District and other Asian Pacific American communities in the Puget Sound area for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents and community business owners. The CLP Class of 2007 drafted and designed a Community Resource Guide that describes in detail all the social services available in the International District that could be accessed by Inter*Im tenants, gardeners, and other residents in the International District. They presented the guide to residents in a community meeting. The meeting functioned both as a way to disseminate the resource guide to residents, and as a community building opportunity for residents, many of which are Southeast Asian and East African. The group also provided general recommendations to Inter*Im based on focus group data that included information on service gaps, general needs of residents, community building needs and further community building/education events.
2006: Minority Executive Directors Coalition Brown Paper
The CLP Class of 2006 played an important role in strengthening the community’s voice by conducting a group project in service of the Minority Executive Directors Coalition (MEDC). The class developed a “brown” paper on the subject of education, focusing on curriculum content and teachers, to guide MEDC in its policy stances for future years. They interviewed and surveyed key stakeholders, including teachers, social workers, and community leaders, conducting research to create recommendations to support MEDC in its advocacy work. The Class of 2006 presented its findings to members of MEDC and ACLF on October 26, 2006. The report was distributed to several elected officials and other decision-makers, and used by MEDC as a part of its 2007 Unity Day to lobby legislators in Olympia. The Class of 2006 was also awarded a Washington Education Association Civil Rights Award for their project.
2005: PASEFIKA Program Evaluation
PASEFIKA was created in 1998 in response to the growing Pacific Islander community in White Center. Its main purpose is to provide academic and cultural support services and to cultivate community within the Pacific Islander population. The CLP Class of 2005 evaluated the structure of PASEFIKA’s two core programs, the Summer Academy (for youth) and the Ambassador Program (for elders). Using research, focus groups with youth and elders, and staff interviews, the CLP Class of 2005 identified key strengths, areas for improvement, and specific recommendations for each of the programs.
2004: Chinese Information and Service Center Volunteer Program Assessment
The Chinese Information and Service Center receives many requests from volunteers and appreciates the work that they do. They approached ACLF with a project to help coordinate their volunteers, and in particular match volunteers to projects more quickly and ensure they fulfill their commitments. CLP participants surveyed the Chinese Information and Service Center’s volunteers and staff and researched peer-volunteer organizations to assess CISC’s volunteer program. They developed a comprehensive volunteer plan, outlining specific recommendations for recruitment, screening, matching, orientation, training, tracking, and retention.
2003: Wing Luke Asian Museum New Dialogues Exhibit
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Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation 